Beatrix continued to follow after the strange unicorn as he made his way deeper into the city.
Any lingering thoughts of her Father's whereabouts were completely wiped away by the arrival of this mysterious stallion and his equally mysterious wagon. Every once in awhile the stallion -- Harry Hoofdini if the banner was correct -- would smile and wave to the growing crowd of ponies or give a tip of his hat and a wink.
There was a moment where Beatrix could've sworn he looked right at her with a slight frown, but when she tried to look closer, he was already back to smiling and waving at the other ponies.
He eventually arrived in Hoofington City Square and unhooked himself from the large wagon. Beatrix watched as he trotted around to the back and -- making sure all eyes were on him -- he gave the back of the wagon two sharp taps.
With a loud click followed by a drawn out creak, the wagon began to unfold before the ponies eyes. The side of the wagon facing the crowd detached and slowly lower itself down to the ground to form the stage and the inside of the wagon was hidden behind a large red curtain. Beatrix tried to push her way to the front of the crowd to get a better look.
She made it to the front just in time to see Hoofdini trot onto the makeshift stage and address the crowd. The stallion waited until the murmuring had died down before clearing his throat.
He opened his mouth to speak, froze, and completely disintegrated, leaving only his top hat to unceremoniously fall to the ground.
The entire crowd went into a frenzy, however Beatrix just stood there in open mouthed shock. There was no indication that Hoofdini had used any magic. His horn hadn't sparked to life to cast any sort of spell, and yet he was gone -- vanished right before Beatrix's very eyes.
"Alright, settle down, settle down folks!" cried a voice from somewhere in the crowd, "I'll be there in a minute! Just... give me... a bit of room would you?"
From the sound of it, the pony was trying to make their way through the crowd and to the front -- much like Beatrix herself had earlier. The blue filly grew even more confused when she started hearing loud gasps and cries of surprise from the other ponies, but it soon became clear what the commotion was all about.
Pushing his way through the crowd and trotting past a stunned Beatrix, was none other than Hoofdini himself. The unicorn stallion trotted back to the stage and turned to face the crowd once more.
"Terribly sorry about that, folks," Hoofdini said with an apologetic smile. He levitated his top hat back onto his head and surveyed the crowd -- his apologetic smile becoming a sheepish grin, "tends to happen sometimes when I get nervous. This is my first show in Hoofington after all!"
After a moment, some of ponies in the crowd began to stomp their hooves unsurely. Others were a bit more enthusiastic, seeing the stunt for what it was -- part of the act. Beatrix was one such pony and she excitedly stomped her hooves along with the others.
"Ah, but forgive me, friends," Hoofdini said with a chuckle, "I haven't even properly introduced myself yet!" he removed his top hat and gave a deep bow as he spoke, "My name is Harry Hoofdini, renowned stage magician and weaver of miracles the likes of which you've never seen!"
At the last statement he gave a flick of his hoof and the hat collapsed into a velvety black cloth. He placed the cloth over his other hoof briefly and yanked it away to reveal a small flock of doves that flew above the crowd -- much to their astonishment. Again, Beatrix had seen no trace of magic being used to accomplish the feat.
"Oh, bother," Hoofdini said, watching the birds with a disappointed frown, "that was my last flock of doves," he shook the cloth as if to see if anymore doves would emerge and yelped in surprise when several more flew out. He watched them fly away before turning to the crowd and shrugging sheepishly, "my mistake, I guess that was the last of them."
Many of the ponies in the crowd chuckled at his antics and a few even stomped their hooves in appreciation.
"No matter," Hoofdini said dismissively. With another flick of his hoof, the black cloth solidified into a top hat once more and he replaced it back onto his head, "I've plenty more tricks up my sleeve -- not that I'm wearing a shirt mind you."
He lit up his horn for the first time since the show had begun and from behind the curtain emerged a long table with various odds and ends. Beatrix -- as small as she was -- wasn't able to get a very good look at what was atop the table and Hoofdini had kept it near the back of the stage.
"Right then!" Hoofdini said with a clop of his hooves, "for the majority of the show, I'll need an assistant," he swept his gaze around the crowd with a raised eyebrow, "any takers?"
A few ponies raised their hooves half-heartedly, but the majority held back -- either untrusting of the magician or too embarrassed to be seen on stage.
"Oh, come now," Hoofdini chided, "don't let a little thing like stage fright stand in the way! Everything is perfectly safe and wholly sound, I assure you."
Beatrix observed the ponies around her. Everypony was whispering or muttering in small unsure tones, casting nervous glances at the stallion on stage. She looked from the crowd to the patiently waiting magician. She then cast her eyes downward towards her hooves, biting her lip worriedly.
Maybe I could...
She shivered at the thought of standing in front of such a crowd -- exposed to possible failure and ridicule from ponies she didn't know.
But really, what did she have to lose?
She was already a failure in the eyes of the only ponies that mattered, and she was used to ridicule by now. What were a few more nameless ponies in the grand scheme of things?
She furrowed her brow in thought, unaware of the side glance Hoofdini was giving her.
I've only been to the city a few times anyway.
She swallowed, clinched her eyes shut and slowly raised a shaky hoof.
And besides, I probably won't get another chance to see something like this. So--
"Ah, now there's a filly with some guts!"
Beatrix's eyes snapped open in bewilderment and she looked back up at the stage. Sure enough, Hoofdini was looking straight back at her with an encouraging grin. She frantically looked from the stallion on stage to the other ponies in the crowd and balked at the raised eyebrows and curious stares she received.
She turned back to Hoofdini with wide eyes and swallowed nervously once more.
"You... you want m-me to come on to... to the stage?" she asked in a small voice.
"Well why not?" Hoofdini replied jovially, "you did raise you're hoof after all! Now come on up here so we can get on with the show!"
Beatrix stared at Hoofdini in disbelief for another moment before shaking her head rapidly.
No, I... I wanted this. I have to...
She quickly began trotting to the stage -- her head hung low and her breaths shaky. Once she was onstage Hoofdini scanned the crowd and frowned in confusion. He lowered himself down to Beatrix's level and spoke in a softer tone so that the crowd couldn't hear.
"Say, filly," he whispered, "what's your name?"
The blue filly continued to stare at her hooves as she answered.
"It's um... it's Beatrix." she replied quietly, "Beatrix Lulamoon."
"Beatrix, eh?" Hoofdini replied rubbing his chin thoughtfully, "and your parents," he asked, "can you point them out to me?"
He raised an eyebrow when the filly shook her head.
"They're not--"
Her eyes widened in horrified realization.
Father doesn't know I'm here, and I still don't know where he is!
She turned to look above the crowd, out to the streets beyond, but she saw no sign of her Father anywhere.
"Are you okay, Miss Lulamoon?"
Beatrix snapped her fearful gaze back to Hoofdini who gave her a concerned frown.
I shouldn't be here. I should be looking for Father... but...
Another thought occurred to the little blue filly -- one that left her with a mix of horror, sadness, and another emotion she couldn't quite place.
but what if... what if he abandoned me?
That strange emotion bubbled up within her and began to push the other emotions aside.
He did leave me all alone, and he didn't come back.
Beatrix frowned and looked back to Hoofdini.
"My parents... Father w-went to go... take care of something," she finally answered, remembering what her Father had said before he left, "he'll be back, he said so."
"I see..." Hoofdini furrowing his brows. He opened his mouth to say something else, but decided against it -- shaking his head and straightened up once more, "well then, Beatrix, what say we get this show going, eh?" he said with another encouraging smile.
Beatrix nodded meekly and Hoofdini turned to face the waiting crowd. He stood up on his hind legs and spread his hooves out dramatically.
"Sorry for the holdup ladies and gentlecolts!" he exclaimed, "just had to get some introductions out of the way! And speaking of introductions, allow me to introduce my assistant for the remainder of the show..."
With a flourish, he gestured to the uneasy blue filly sitting behind him.
"The Timelessly Adorable and Ever Delightful Trixie!"